Shanxi hosts spectacular sites encompassing architectural marvels, ancient culture, and wartime memories

Located on the Loess Plateau and surrounded by the Taihang Mountains in the east and the Yellow River in the west and south, Shanxi is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization.

Shanxi is a treasure trove of ancient Chinese architecture. The province boasts 531 nationally protected sites for cultural relics – mostly ancient buildings – ranking it top in the country. In addition, there are a total of 28,027 old buildings scattered throughout the province.

Shanxi also holds an important position in China's modern history. During the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), the province was an important base for the military forces led by the Communist Party of China and CPC organizations. These included the CPC North China Bureau and the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army. It was also home to a number of battlefields where the CPC-led forces won decisive victories, including the Hundred-Regiment Campaign and the Battle of Pingxingguan.

The long history and brilliant culture have left many precious assets for local tourism development. Among the many historical and cultural sites in Shanxi, the following 11 destinations in 11 cities are high on the recommendation list for tourists.

YUNGANG GROTTOES, DATONG

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is situated in the west of Datong. Dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), the Buddhist grotto complex is the city's most significant attraction, boasting 45 well-preserved main caves and 209 smaller caves, as well as about 59,000 statues, the largest of which is 17 meters tall and the smallest is 2 centimeters.

While influenced by Buddhist cave art from South Asia and Central Asia, Yungang Grottoes has interpreted Buddhist cave art with a distinctive Chinese character. It is one of the three famous treasure troves of Chinese grotto art, along with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu province, and Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan province.

Yungang Grottoes was included in State Council's first batch of key cultural relic sites under the national-level protection in March 1961. It was inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites in 2001, and rated as a 5A scenic area in 2007.

HIGHLIGHTS

Caves No 16-20: Carved by renowned Northern Wei Dynasty monk Tanyao and his colleagues, these are the earliest and most spectacular caves in the site. The most imposing is the sitting Buddha statue in Cave 20.

Tanyao Square: Covering more than 6,000 square meters at the entrance of Yungang Grottoes, it was built to commemorate Tanyao. A statue of this famed monk and master artist stands at the center of the square.

JINCI TEMPLE, TAIYUAN

It was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) in memory of Shuyu, a prince of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), at the site of the kingdom's capital in today's Taiyuan city.

Jinci is the largest and oldest ancestral temple complex in China. The complex is referred to as a "museum of ancient architecture" in Taiyuan as it is home to more than 100 ancient buildings built during the Song (960-1279), Jin (1115-1234), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Jinci Temple is also known as Jinci Museum. It was included in the first batch of key cultural relic sites under the national-level protection in 1961 by the State Council. The museum was recognized as a national first-class museum in May 2024. In December 2024, the Jinci and Tianlongshan Scenic Area was rated as a 5A scenic area, among the highest-level tourism destinations in China.

HIGHLIGHTS

Song Dynasty painted sculptures: Inside the Hall of Sacred Mother, which was built in the Song Dynasty, the painted sculptures offer a picture of how Song Dynasty royal family life looked like. In the center of the hall is the statue of the sacred mother, who wears Song Dynasty clothes and gives off a solemn and noble air. It is surrounded by dozens of painted statues of maidens and female officials.

Never-Aging Spring: In the west of Jinci Temple, Never-Aging Spring got its fame from renowned Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai who described "the flowing water of Jinci is clean like jade".

YINGXIAN WOODEN PAGODA, SHUOZHOU

The Sakyamuni Pagoda in Yingxian county's Fogong Temple, commonly known as Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, was built during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125). It is the highest and oldest wooden tower structure in the world. The tower often ranks alongside the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The pagoda has a height of 67.31 meters and a weight of more than 7,400 metric tons. It features 59 kinds of bracket sets that channel the weight of the roof to the columns, which cushion and transport any impact from an outside force, making it a global architectural miracle.

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda was included in the State Council's first batch of key cultural relic sites under the national-level protection in March 1961. It was recognized as "the highest wooden tower of the world" by Guinness World Records.

HIGHLIGHTS

Wooden structure: The pagoda adopts a dovetailed wooden structure, without using a single nail or rivet.

Inscribed plaques: There are 52 plaques with inscriptions written by renowned calligraphers in history.

TAOSI RELICS SITE, LINFEN

Taosi Relics Site, located in Xiangfen county, Linfen city, has been identified as a settlement dating back to 4,300 to 3,900 years ago. It is believed to be the ruins of the capital city during the Yao and Shun periods (more than 4,100 years ago), two important phases in prehistoric Chinese culture.

As an important site in the "Exploration of Chinese Civilization's Origins" project, the Taosi site was discovered in 1958 and excavation began in 1978. More than 5,500 artifacts have been unearthed, revealing the early forms of Chinese civilization. Remarkable discoveries include ruins of a walled city and an ancient observatory from 4,000 years ago.

HIGHLIGHTS

The ancient observatory: In Taosi, archaeologists discovered the earliest observatory known in China. Among the most striking discoveries are the 13 rammed earth columns arranged in a semicircular shape, which were believed to be used to determine the solar terms of a year.

Taosi Relics Site Museum: The museum officially opened on Nov 12, 2024, as a showcase to display the archaeological discoveries of the relics site. The exhibition hall exhibits 230 pieces of cultural relics dating back to 4,300 to 3,900 years ago.

MOUNT WUTAI, XINZHOU

Located in Wutai county in Xinzhou city, Mount Wutai is at the top of four famed holy mountains for Chinese Buddhism followers. It is said to be the venue to spread the teachings of Manjusri, a famed bodhisattva.

Mount Wutai is a popular tourism destination in Shanxi, combining spectacular sights, historical relics, ancient architecture, Buddhist culture and folk traditions. In 2009, Mount Wutai was named as one of the top 10 historical mountains in China. In June 2009, it was inscribed on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List. It was rated as a 5A tourist destination in 2007.

HIGHLIGHTS

Pusading: Pusading stands at the peak of Lingjiu Mountain. This site, also called the Grand Temple of Manjusri, is a lama temple built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Foguang Temple: Foguang Temple is a must-see site for enthusiasts of ancient Chinese architecture. It was discovered by famed ancient architecture researchers Liang Sicheng (1901-72) and Lin Huiyin (1904-55) in the 1930s. They identified the east main hall as one of the very few well-preserved wooden structures built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

HUNDRED-REGIMENT CAMPAIGN MEMORIAL HALL, YANGQUAN

The memorial hall stands at the mountain peak of Shinao Mountain in Yangquan city. This is the nation's only memorial hall to commemorate this famous campaign led by the Communist Party of China during the Chinese People's War Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

In August 1940, the CPC-led Eighth Route Army organized large-scale sabotage of transport lines under enemy control and their fortified positions. About 200,000 soldiers and officers in 105 regiments joined the campaign. It was the largest and longest strategic offensive launched by the Eighth Route Army in North China since the start of the war of resistance.

HIGHLIGHTS

The memorial monument: Standing at the top of the peak, the monument resembles a bayonet pointing to the sky. It features a group of relief sculptures portraying warriors of the time.

The rails: The rails of the Zhengding-Taiyuan Railway, which was the main target of the Hundred-Regiment Campaign, are now on display at the memorial hall.

JINSUI BORDER REGION MEMORIAL HALL, LYULIANG

The memorial hall in Caijiaya village of Xingxian county, Lyuliang city was built in 1962. It was included on the list of China's famous Red tourism sites in 2017.

During the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the War of Liberation (1946-49), The area was the military and political hub of Jinsui Border Region. A number of important meetings to plan the development of the CPC were held there during the period.

HIGHLIGHTS

Covers of canons and machine guns: On display at the memorial hall are the protective covers of canons and machine guns. During the War of Resistance, because of the difficulty in accessing supplies, the military forces led by the CPC attached great importance to protecting their weapons and other equipment.

Wheels of Japanese gun carriers: The wheels of captured Japanese gun carriers are evidence of the failed attempt of the Japanese to invade the Jinsui Border Region.

XIHOUDU RELICS SITE, YUNCHENG

In Xihoudu village in Yuncheng's Ruicheng county, archaeologists discovered a site with relics identified as being 2.4 million years old, which might be proof of some of the earliest human activities in China. At this site, animal bones were discovered, which bore evidence of burning. Researchers believe this may signal proof of the earliest intentional use of fire in the world. The use of fire, which could help people eat cooked food and improve their physical conditions, ushered in a new era of human civilization.

HIGHLIGHTS

Torch-lighting platform: Located in the Sacred Fire Park near the relics site, the torch-lighting platform is the largest and most eye-catching structure in the park. It was used for flame collection during the second National Youth Games held in Taiyuan, Shanxi, in August 2019. The platform also serves as the entrance to the park.

ROYAL PRIME MINISTER'S RESIDENCE, JINCHENG

With a total area of 36,000 square meters, this grand courtyard in Jincheng city used to be the residence of Chen Tingjing, a famous statesman in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). With a mixed architectural style of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties, the residential complex has a unique appearance with elements of ancient dwellings, official mansions, ancestral temples, academies and fortifications. With a total of 640 rooms in 16 courtyards. It was recognized as a 5A tourism destination in 2007.

HIGHLIGHTS

Douzhuju Castle: The fortified facility was built by Chen Tingjing's uncle Chen Changyan during the late Ming Dynasty, aimed to protect his family from wars and attacks by bandits. The castle is a rectangular establishment with a length of 161.75 meters and a width of 71.5 meters.

Heshan Tower: The building is the highest structure in Royal Prime Minister's Residence, with a height of 30 meters.

THE TAIHANG MEMORIAL HALL OF THE EIGHTH ROUTE ARMY, CHANGZHI

The memorial hall is located in Changzhi's Wuxiang county, which was home to the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army more than 80 years ago. It is China's only and largest memorial hall themed in the history of the CPC-led Eighth Route Army during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45)

With 6,544 relics, the memorial hall tells the history of the Eighth Route Army, which evolved from the Red Army based in northern Shaanxi province.

HIGHLIGHTS

Field cauldron: The iron field cauldron on display is 71 centimeters in diameter and 49 cm in height. The cauldron features 17 iron-sheet patches for repairing the damages inflicted by bullets and shrapnels.

Digital experience hall: The hall offers interactive experiences to visitors through digital technologies. A novel experience offered by the hall is that tourists can have their photos taken with an Eighth Route Army soldier. This has been made possible by combining the visitor's photos with an AI-restored picture of the soldier taken eight decades ago.

PINGYAO ANCIENT CITY, JINZHONG

With an area of 2.25 square kilometers, Pingyao is among the best-preserved ancient cities in China. It was inscribed on UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage Sites in December 1997. It is a 5A tourism destination.

Pingyao Ancient City has a history of more than 2,700 years. The city that is seen today is the result of a renovation during the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Inside the city, there are more than 100 streets and alleys, 3,797 old houses, six temples and the old city government office.

HIGHLIGHTS

Rishengchang Piaohao: Rishengchang Piaohao, or Rishengchang Draft Bank, is thought to be China's first bank engaged in saving, lending, remittance and exchange operations.

City wall: With a total length of 6.4 km, the ancient city wall is about 12 meters tall and 3 to 6 meters wide on top. With repeated renovations over the years, Pingyao's ancient city wall is among the most intact in China.